Original U.S. Rare Winchester Model 1876 "Mountie" .45-60 Saddle Ring Carbine Made in 1882 with Factory Letter - Serial 23712

Original Item: Only One Available. When it was introduced at Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition of 1876, Winchester’s Centennial Model was the largest and the most powerful repeater on the frontier. This scaled-up 1873 model, eventually called the Model 1876, was Winchester’s answer to the demand for a repeater that packed more power than the 1873 rifle. It was originally chambered for the .45-75 Winchester Centennial cartridge (designed to replicate the .45-70 ballistics in a shorter case), but other chamberings quickly followed for use in "Big Game" hunting.

As with the Model 1873, the design was also produced in a Carbine for use on horseback, though due to the very larger receiver of the Model 1876, it was actually not that much smaller than the rifle. Weighing 8 1/2 pounds, the carbine was 42 inches long, with a 22 inch round barrel and 18 long wooden fore stock held in place by a barrel band and metal nose cap. As with the rifle, the popularity did not match that of the 1873, and Model 1876 carbines are rarely seen today. However, even with this small number, the design did much to solidify the Winchester's reputation for reliability and quality, as many of the carbines were used by Canada’s famed North-West Mounted Police (NWMP), who began adoption of the carbine in 1877 with an order of 50 in .45-75 WCF. The Canadian government would eventually purchase 1,611 Carbines, with 350 going to Militia use, while the rest all went to the Mounties. The American public of the time was infatuated with the Mounties, and the idea of them packing the American Winchester was an idea that added much to the guns popularity as a "Mountie Carbine", in spite of the issues that the Mounties had with the design.

This example is definitely not one of those sent to Canada, as the Caliber is incorrect, but it still has the fantastic look as seen in numerous period photographs. Correctly marked on the upper receiver tang, with MODEL . 1876., the rifle is also marked with CAL. / 45 - 60 above the chamber on the barrel and 45 - 60 on the brass carrier block, indicating the chambering. It bears serial number 23712 on the lower receiver tang, denoting the year of manufacture as 1882. The barrel is fitted with the correct carbine "barleycorn" front sight with a nickel plated, however the rear sight is missing, with the dovetail empty.

This rifle comes with an original factory letter from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West at the Cody Firearms Museum, which now houses the original Winchester factory records. This is printed on watermarked WINCHESTER REPEATING Fire Arms letterhead, and dated August 06, 2025. It indicates that for Model 1876, serial number 23712, the type of arm is a Carbine, with a caliber of 45/60. The letter also indicates that the order for this carbine was received in the warehouse May 13, 1882, and shipped on May 13, 1882 as part of order 32439. Unfortunately there is no other information available for the serial number, but that is not uncommon for a carbine that did not see customization. The letter is signed by records specialist Jessica A. Bennett and still bears the correct raised seal.

The engraving on top of the barrel is still clear:

WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN CT.
KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16.1860.

The metalwork is in very nice shape, showing a lovely mottled peppery patina overall, with some signs of past removed oxidation overall. This definitely is a carbine that saw long use and was carried extensively. Stocks are in good used condition, and are the lovely reddish-brown color of aged finished walnut. The fore stock shows staining and wear from use in service, with some missing wood on the woodline, and a crack on the left side near the nose cap. The butt stock shows extensive field repairs, and looks to have split in several directions from the receiver tang. These cracks were then repaired with large flathead screws through the stock, as well as what looks like some glue later. This is definitely a carbine with some stories to tell!

This lever action repeater is offered with a crisp tight action in fully functional condition, with a working original dust cover. It cycles well, with just a bit of stiffness and no major issues we can see, though the trigger / safety bar spring is very weak, so it does not stick out very far. This means that the hammer will fire at any time, not just when the lever is in the closed position. The bore is in good condition, showing a mostly bright finish, however the lands are almost completely worn away. While kept clean, the barrel is close to shot out, indicating that it saw extensive use.

A lovely "frontier worn" example of a very hard to find Winchester Model 1876 Carbine, only the second example that we have ever had! Ready to research and display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1882
Caliber: .45-60 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 22 Inches
Overall Length: 42 1/8 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 9-round tube magazine

The Winchester Model 1876, or Centennial Model, was a heavier-framed rifle than the Models 1866 and 1873, the "Guns that Won the West." The new design was chambered for full-powered centerfire rifle cartridges suitable for big-game hunting, rather than the handgun-sized rimfire and centerfire rounds of its predecessors. While similar in design to the 1873, the 1876 was actually based on a prototype 1868 lever-action rifle that was never commercially produced by Winchester.

Introduced to celebrate the American Centennial Exposition, the Model 1876 earned a reputation as a durable and powerful hunting rifle. Four versions were produced: a 22-inch (56 cm) barrel Carbine, a 26-inch (66 cm) barrel Express Rifle with a half-length magazine, a 28-inch (71 cm) barrel Sporting Rifle, and a 32-inch (81 cm) barrel Musket. Standard rifles had a blued finish while deluxe models were casehardened. Collectors identify a first model with no dust cover, a second model with a dust cover rail fastened by a screw, and a third model with an integral dust cover. Total production was 63,871 including 54 One of One Thousand Model 1876s and only seven of the One of One Hundred grade.

Originally chambered for the new .45-75 Winchester Centennial cartridge (designed to replicate the .45-70 ballistics in a shorter case), versions in .40-60 Winchester, .45-60 Winchester and .50-95 Express followed; the '76 in the latter chambering is the only repeater known to have been in widespread use by professional buffalo hunters. The Canadian North-West Mounted Police used the '76 in .45-75 as a standard long arm for many years with 750 rifles purchased for the force in 1883; the Mountie-model '76 carbine was also issued to the Texas Rangers. Theodore Roosevelt used an engraved, pistol-gripped half-magazine '76 during his early hunting expeditions in the West and praised it. A '76 was also found in the possession of Apache warrior Geronimo after his surrender in 1886.

The Model 1876 toggle-link action receiver was too short to handle popular big-game cartridges, including the .45-70, and production ceased in 1897, as big-game hunters preferred the smoother Model 1886 action chambered for longer and more powerful cartridges.

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